Amusement apparatus



March 13, 1928. 1,662,504

`A. KUDLER AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed July a. 1924 s sheets-sheet 1 MAQ#,i g, Irzg'. I. .74 s@y March 13, 1928. r1,662,504

A. KUDLER AMUSEMENT APPARATUS 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed J Mmh 13,1928.1,662,504

A. KUDLER AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed July a. 1924 :s sheets-sheet 5123.1% x15 4/ V Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

PATENT oFFlcE.

ADOLPH KUDLER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AMUSEMENT Application tiled July 8,

An object of this invention is to provide an amusementapparatus adaptedto discharge balls over a runway toward pivotally mounted paddles withmeans connected therewith for locking the ball discharging applianceafter a predetermined number of halls have been discharged; and alsomeans for unlocking the ball discharging appliance that can be actuatedat a place remote from the apparatus as by a lever otl'set thereto. Inother words I provide an appliance in which a player can discharge acertain number of balls over the course after which the ball dischargingappliance is automatically locked; and will remain so until unlocked byan attendant, so that a charge can be made for a play; and a means isprovided wherebyv a play can comprise a discharge of a predeterminednumber of balls.

An object is to provide an interesting game that can be utilized foramusement and commercial purposes.

Features' of the invent-ion are shown in the construction, combinationand arrangement of parts whereby an amusement apparatus of cheap anddurable construction is provided.

Features of invention are shown in the novel means for elevating ballsfrom a return runway; and discharging them over a ball course.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from theaccompanying drawings, the subjoined detail description and the appendedclaims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure l is a sen'ii-diagrannnatic plan View of an amusement apparatusconstructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a broken section on line x2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line ac3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental section on line a, Fig. 1; showinglbyfull lines the ball discharging appliance in set position with thedischarge spring under tension and the hammer ready to discharge a ball;and indicating by dotted lines the normal position of the hammer andassociated parts.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section on line :115, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on line Fig. 4, showing a detailed construction ofthe ball discharging hammer.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross section on line APPARATUS.

1924. serial No. 724,774.

a, Figs. 1, 2 and 4, with part of the housing and ball course brokenaway to show the ball wheel and paddles.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged ragmental side View pf 1the ball control ratchetand the automatic oc r Fig. 9 is an enlarged section on line m9, Fig. 4,showing a plan of the automatic lock.

Fig. l0 is a. section on line w1", Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a det-ail of the ball control ratchet provided with fillerbars that are used with the 'ratchet when the number of balls ot a playare to be increased or decreased.

Fig. 12 is a section on line m12, Fig. 11, showing two filler barssecured to the ratchet and also showing a fragmental portion of the lockbolt abutting an end of a filler barA and side of the ratchet wheel.

Fig. 13 is a. perspective viewl of one of the filler bars.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross section on line fu, Fig. l.

Fig. 15 is an enlarged fragmental section on line w1, Fig. 14, showing adetail of a paddle and the'resetter rod that isindicated by full linesin normal and by dotted lines in actuated position.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged fragmental section on line w1, Fig. 14, showing adetail of a paddle and a spring for holding it in an upright position;also showing by full lines the resetter rod in actuated and by dottedlines the normal position.

Fig.`l7 is an enlarged ragmental section on line Fig. 14, showing adetail construction of two paddles and a portion of the resetter rod.

The apparatus comprises a frame 1 on which an elevated ball course 2' issecured that has a front end 3, sides enclosed by elongated walls 4, 4',and a rear end 5 provided with pivotally mounted paddles 6 and a ballstop 7.

Adjacent the forward end 3 and secured thereto is a narrow gun housingy8 that encloses a. ball elevating wheel 9 and a' ball dischargingappliance. 10 arranved in the respective compartments 11, 12 that areformed between the end walls 13, 14 and an intermore fully described andthat is pointed over and toward the rear of the ball course 2 theauxiliary housing 21 is rigidly secured to the housing S and has theappearance of an automatic pistol.

A shat't JL is `ioutnalled in the walls 13, 14, 1:3, and to it issecured the ball elevating wheel t).

'the wheel 9 is provided with cylindrical pockets 2. that are spacedequidistant apart and an equal radial distance from the shaft 22, andpreferably there are twelve of the pockets.

'l`he 1 are arranged so that when in their highest position in revolvingaround the shaft :'22 that they are slightly above the surface ol thehall course .2 with their centers aligned in a perpendicular platteabove the longitudinal axis ot' the shalt.

'l`hcy are also arranged so thatwhen in their lowest position theyregister with the discharge end ot a return ball runway Q4 that isinclined l'rom the ball stop 7 toward the forward end of the apparatusso that halls discharged over the course i). will return by gravity toone of the pockets 23 of the wheel A means is provided for moving thewheel 9 one twelfth ol a revolution each time that the f lischargingappliance 10 is set to shoot a hall 25 t'roin an uppermost pocket of thewheel; and also each time that the appliance 1t) is set a pocket 23containing a ball 2 is moved into position for the hall to be shot outthrough an openingr 13 in the wall 1I) over the hall course.

It ratchet wheel 2h' is arranged in the coinpartment 12 and secured tothe shaft 22 in position to be actuated by a dog 27 that is pivoted at2S to a slide 29 and pressed toward the ratchet by a st )ring carried bythe slide: and the parts are constructed and arranged so that when theslide 2D is moved downward the dog will slide over the teeth 31 of theratchet, and when moved upward the dog will engage a tooth 31 and rotatethe ratchet, shalt. and wheel one twelfth of a revolution.

rl`he slide 29 is mounted in a guide 32 secured to the side wall 17; andthe slide is pivotally connected by a pin 83 to the slotted end t3-1- ofa bell crank 35 0n the rocking rod 3G journalled in the walls 17, 18,see Fig. 4.

Also pivotally connected to the pin 33 is one end of a link 37 that hasits other end pivotally connected by a pin 38 to one arm of a hell crank39 secured to a rod 40 journalled in the Walls 17, 18.

The other arm of the bell crank 39 is slotted and pivotally connected toa pin 41 secured to a draw bar 42.

The draw bar 4Q has a reduced end 43 slidahly mounted in a guide 44 inthe auxiltary housing 21; also the bar 42 is provided with sideextensions 45 that are slidable in vthe ratchet wheel .t.

guide slots 46 in the auxiliary housing gun 21, see Figs. 4, 5.

The hell crank 35 has its other arm pivotally connected by a lilik 47with a hammer 4.5 pivotallv mounted on a rod 12) secured in the walls17, ltn.

'l`he hammer comprises a handle formed ol hars 5H secured together, oneol` which is turned at right angles to the major portion ol' the handleand threaded to form a socket :31 l'or the shank of the hammer head.33); and preferably the head is provided with a sott cushion 54 asindicated in Figs. l, t3.

A spring 55 connects the lower end ol' tht` handle 5t) with a rack 5Gthat is :secured to the cud plate 14 and normally the spring holds thehammer and associated parts in the dotted position indicated in Fig. 4.

'l'he hammer is drawn hack into a set position against the tension olthe spring .35 by means ot' the false trigger' :3T on the draw har 42;and on the har 42 is an upper extension :35 that is adapted to heengaged and held hy a dog 5t) when the hammer is drawn back into a setposition shown by full line in Fig. 4.

rl`he dog 5t) pivotcd at (it) and is pressed toward the bar 42 by aspring til secured to the auxiliary housing E21, and a trigger (Sipivoted at (lil is provided for releasing the dog:r from the extension5b when a hall is to he discharged over the hall course. 'l'hat is, whenthe trigger 62 is pulled toward the gun grip Q1 the dog 5f) will releasethe har 42 and permit the spring :35 to actuate the hammer JS and drivea hall out ol a pocket 2:1 over the hall course.

The wall 15 is slotted at (34 so that when the hammer is released from aset position the spring 55 will drive the head 5I) through thc slot intoengagement with a hall 25 and drive it out of a pocket lil withconsiderahlc force over the course 2 toward the paddles any one of whichit' struck h v a discharged ball will he knocked down into the dottedpositions indicated in Figs. 15, 16.

An automatic stop is provided for locking This stop comprises a lock har(S5 with an end (tti adapted to be automatically wedged hetweenpredetermined ratchet teeth 31 so that the wheel t) cannot he turnedat'ter a certain numher of halls have been driven or discharged over thecourse. That is, the ratchet wheel ti is formed so that the end ol' thehar is wedged between the teeth each time that the dog 27 has beenactuated to move the ball wheel 9 three or any other predeterminednumher of tintes.

.Slots 67 are cut between the third and fourth, the sixth and seventh,the ninth and tenth, and the one and twelfth teeth that the guide 68 ofthe lock bar end G6 can slide through the slots 67 and permit aperipheral llo portion 69 of the bar end 66 to close the 'space betweenthe teeth so that the dog 27 cannot engage them. When peripheral portion69 is in place between the teeth of the ratchet the false trigger 57 canbe actuated without turning the Wheel 9; and the parts will remainlocked until released by means that will be described later.

The lock bar is slotted at 70 and mounted on the'guide pins 71; andnormally it is pressed toward the ratchet 26 by a coil spring 72.

The lock Vbar is held out of engagement with the ratchet by a latch 73mounted on onedof the, guide pins 11 and said latch is forced into anotch 74 on the bar 65 by a spring 75 when the bar is manually movedagainst the tension of the coil spring 72.

The bar 65 is'manually moved away from the ratchet by means otl a lever76 that can be remotely located relative to the amusement apparatus asillustrated in Fig. 1.

The lever 76 is connected to the bar 65 by a cable 7 7 that passes overthe pulleys 7 8, so that an operator can unlock the ratchet wheel whendesired, as when a player has paid for the privilege of another play.

The latch 73 is released from the notch 74 so that the bar willautomatically lock the ratchet wheel again by means of trip pins 79secured to the sides of the ratchet wheel. In other words after thelever 7 6 is actuated to move the bar 65 and unlock the ratchet wheelthe first movement of the ratchet by actuation of the dog27, causes oneof the pins 79 to engage the free end of the latch 73 and release itfrom the notch 74 so that the spring 72 will force the end 66 of thelock bar in sliding engagement on the side of the ratchet until a slot67 comes into register with a guide 68 so that'it can enter the slot andWedge the end of the bar between the teeth and lock the ratchet wheeluntil it is released by another pull on the operators control lever 76.As shown in the drawing the slots 67 are slightly tapered adjacent thebar 66 so that the guides 68 can easily enter when the parts come intoregister.

I provide filler bars80 that can be tted into one or more of the slots67 and be secured to the ratchet` wheel by screws 81 S0 that the numberof balls played can be varied and the purpose of the filler bars is toprevent the guides 68 from entering the slots 67 between ratchet teeth,except at desired places.

That is, by operating the Wheel without any of the filler bars a playercan operate the appliance to discharge three balls in series of fourplays to each revolution of the ball wheel 9, and with two of the fillerbars attached, the plays will be in a series of two to each revolutionof the ball wheel and six balls to each play, and with three of thefiller bars attached, there will be one play to each revolution of theball wheel and twelve balls to the play, and with four filler barsattached the play can be continued indefinitely.

A brake 82 is provided for holding the ball wheel 9 in a fixed positionafter it has been moved a proper distance by actuation of the ratchetwheel 26.

The brake consists of a lever 83 that is fulcrumed on a pin 8l securedto the wall 15.

On one end of the lever is a cam 85 that is engaged by the top end ofthe handle 5() when the hammer 53 is drawn back into set position; andan upward movement of the cam 85 forces the brake 82 into engagementwith the periphery of the wheel 9 and holds it in a fixed position untilthe brake is released by a stroke of the hammer.

When the hammer is released from a set position it is thrown toward therear end of the course with considerable force against a ball in theuppermost pocket of the ball wheel 9 to drive it from the pocket towardthe paddles one of which it may knock down.

The paddles are pivoted on pins 86 in brackets` A87 secured to the endsof the course, and the paddles are provided with latch springs 88 thatsupport them in an upright position until struck by a ball, and when thepaddles are down they lay flat with the course.

Av resetting bar 89 is pivotally mou/nted adjacent the pins and this baris provided with a lever 90 thatis connected by a cable 91 with theoperators lever 76 so that when it is actuated by the operator torelease the lock bar 65 it will also reset the paddles that may havebeen knocked down by a series of discharged balls. f

If desired the Side walls 4, 4 can be provided with resilient cushions92 as indicated inFigs. 14, 15, 16.

In operation a player sets the hammer by actuation of the false triggerwhich also moves a ball into position to be struck by the hammer. Then apull of the trigger releases the hammer which drives a ba-ll over thecourse toward the paddles, and this operation is continued until aseries of balls have been driven over the course, and each ball returnsby gravity to the elevator wheel to again be elevated and driven overthe course in its turn.

I claim:

1. The amusement apparatus set forth comprising an elevated ball coursehavingA front and rear ends; a return ball runway under said course;balls adapted to' be driven over said course; a main housing secured tothe forward end of said course; a stationary auxiliary housing on saidmain housing; said auxiliary housing having the appearance of a gun, ashaft in said main housing; a wheel on said shaft for elevating saidhalls from said runway to the upper surface of and in position to hedriven over said eourse; a hammer for driving said halls over saidcourse; a spring for driving said hammer against said halls; a draw harin said auxiliary housing. links connecting said draw har and saidhammer wherehy said hammer may he set against the tension of saidspring, lot-king means for said draw har, a trigger in said auxiliaryhousing adapted to release said loelting means; and means for loeltingsaid wheel against rotation after a numher of halls have heen drivenover said course.

Q. rl`he amusement apparatus set forthernnprising an elevated hallcourse having front and rear ends; a return hall runway under saideourse; hallsl adapted to he driven over said course: a housing seeuredto the forward end of said eourse: a shaft in said housing; a wheel onsaid shaft for elevating said halls from said runway to the uppersurface of and in position to he driven over said eourse; a hammer fordriving said halls over said course; a spring for driving said hammeragainst said halls; a draw har in said hous'ng; a ratchet wheel on saidshaft.; a slide; a dog on said slide engaging said ratehet wheel; a.hell erank lever pivoted to said slide and to said draw har; a seeondhell erank lever pivoted to said slide and to said hannner for settingsaid hammer: loelring means for said draw har; a trigger in said housingadapted to release said loeliing means; and means for loeking saidratchet wheel against rotation after a number of halls have heen drivenover said eourse.

2*. 'l'he amusement apparatus set forth eomprising an elevated halleourse having front and rear ends: a return hall runway under saidcourse; halls adapted to he driven over said course; a housing seeuredto the forward end ot said course; a shaft in said housing; a wheel onsaid shaft for elevating said halls from said runway to the uppersurfaee of and in position to he driven over said eourse; a hammer fordriving said halls over said eourse; a spring for driving said hammeragainst said halls; manually aetnated means for setting said hannneagainst the tension of said spring: a trigger on said houshg forreleasing said manually aetuated means and said hammer from setposition; means for loeliing Said wheel againstrotation after apredetermined nmnher of halls have heen driven over said course; and

hralte means engaging said wheel while the hammer is in set position.

Lt. The amusement apparatus set forth comprising an elevated hall coursehaving front and rear ends; a return hall runway under said course;halls adapted to he driven over said course: a housing seeured to theforward end of said course: a shaft in said housing; a wheel on saidshaft for elevatingr said halls from said runway to the upper surface ofand in position to he driven over said course; a hammer for driving saidhalls over said eourse: a spring for drivingr said hammer against. saidhalls: manually aetu ated means for setting said hammer against thetension otI said spring: a trigger in said housing for releasingr saidmanually aetuated means aml said hammer from set position: a ratchetwheel seeured to said shaft; means eonneeting said hammer setting meansand said ratehet wheel wherehy said ratehet wheel is rotated as saidhammer is set; said ratehet. wheel having slots therein; a loeli haradapted to enter said slots; means holding said loelr har out ol' saidslots; and means adapted to release said loelt har when a umnher ofhalls have heen driven over said course.

5. 'lhe amusement apparatus` set forth comprising an elevated hallcourse having front and rear ends: a return hall runway under saidCourse; halls adapted to he driven over said eours; a housing seem'ed tothe forward end ot' said eourse: a sha ft in .said housing; a wheel onsaid shaft for elevating said halls from said runway to the uppersurl'aeeI of and in position to he driven over said eourse: a hammer fordriving said halls over said eourse; a spring for driving said hammeragainst said halls: manually aetnated means for setting said hammeragainst the tension of said spring; a trigger in said housing forreleasing said manually actuated means and said hammer from setposition: a ratehet wheel seeured to,.\aid shaft; means eonneeting .saidhammer setting means and said ratehet wheel wherehy said ratchet wheelis rotated as said hammer is set, said ratehet wheel having .slotstherein; a loelt har adapted to enter said slots; manual means toretraet said loeltr ha r.y a lateh adapted to hold said loeli har inretratted position; and means on said ratchet wheel adapted to releasesaid lateh.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los ,\ngeles,California, this lst day of July, 10Q-i.

ADOLPH KUDLER.

